Ammunition-chest.



PATENTBD JUNE 9, 1903.

, R. P. STOUT.

AMMUNITION CHEST. APPLICATION FILED NOV. 30, 1901.

N0 MODEL. 4 S HEETSSHEET 1.

5211mm ljoz flw No. 730,411. PATENTED JUNE 9, 1903.

R. P. STOUT. AMMUNITION CHEST.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 30 1901.

N0 MODEL. 4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

il l Q H Q g u No. 730,411. PATENTED JUNE 9, 1903. R. P. STOUT.

AMMUNITION CHEST.

APPLIOATION FILED NOV. 30, 1901. N0 MODEL. 4 sums-sum: a.

o w o 5 mmmummmu lulummmmmuu m mmmtoz Q vi fuuoco No. 730,411. PATENTED JUNE 9, 1903.

R. P. STOUT.

AMMUNITION CHEST.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 30, 1901.

N0 MODEL.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

W' g mm UNITED STATES? Patented June 9, 1903.

FFICEQ ROBERT 1P. STOUT, OF BETHLEHEM, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR- TO BETH- LEHEM STEEL COMPANY, OF SOUTH BETHLEHEM, 'PENNSYLVANIA: A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

'AMM UNlTlON-CHEST.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters. Patent No. "730,411, dated June 9, 1903.

1 Application filed November at. 1901. s rum. 84,209. (No model.)

To aZZ ivhom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ROBERT P. Sro UT,a citi zen of the United States, residing at Bethlehem, in the county of Northampton and State 5 of Pennsylvania, have invented certain'new and useful Improvements in Ammunition- *Ohests, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to ammunition-chests,

IO and especially to chests of the character required for the limbers of field-guns; and my invention consists in constructing all parts of the chest of metal, with partitions provided with flanged-openings -adapted to hold and isolate the ball-cartrid es, and otherwise constructed so asto SGOllli the desired strength and rigidity with a minimum of metal, with means, further, for supporting movable'cans for oil, -&c., all as fully set forth hereinafter and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figured is a side elevation showing ali mber of a field-gun with the improved chest arranged thereon. Fig. 2 isja rear elevation of the parts shown in Fig. 1., a portion of the door of the chest being broken away; Fig. 3 is a rear elevation showing part of the chest with the door and oil-cans removed, and Fig. 4 is'a section taken longitudinally through the chest.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, theammunitionchest is supported upon the lirnber,.comprising the front wheels of an artillery-wagon and carrying the pole and a coupling for the front end of the trail of the gun-carriage.

The amm uni tion'consists of ball-cartridges, each composed of a metallic case, generally flanged at the rear and containing the explosive charge and supporting the projectile, 4,0 which extends from the forward end of the case. In order to support as compactly as possible a suitable number of such cartridges,

'1 have devised an improved chest so constructed as to secure the proper isolation of the cartridges, rigidly support the same to prevent vibration, and avbid undue weight.

To this end I construct the shell of, the case,

preferably, from a single plate bent to form thetop, bottom, and side portionsK K K K although these portions may consist of sepaorder that it mayexpand readilyand the betrate plates bolted together at the edges. In eithercase the corners are strengthened by L-beams I, bolted to the adjacent plates, as best shownin Fig. 3, and further rigidity is imparted by means of external flanged beams H, which are preferably each bent so as to extend transversely across the top and bottom and verticallyacross the sides of the shell. These beams H may be L-beams, T- beams, or I-beams, as may be found most convenient, L-beams being shown. The shell'i' -further stiffened by a closing-plate O at the front and byinternal transverse plates or partitions, three being shown,-L and L being the end partitions and-L" the intermediate partition, and these partitions are made the means of isolating and supporting cartridges, the said partitions having coinciding openings 2 2 2 with surroundingflanges 3 4 5. Preferably these flanges are formed integral with the partitions themselves. Each opening in the p'a'rtitionL is of such dimensions as to receive the shell of the cartridge, while the corresponding openings in the forward partitions L L are of such sizes as to fit the portions of the projectile extending therein, the flanges 5 being shaped to conform toth'e tapering coutour of the portion of'the'proje'ctile inclosed thereby and being split at intervals, as 5, in

ter fit and gri-pthe ball of the cartridge. 7 The flanges3 of the openings in the rear plate L are preferably extended backward, so as to form edge bearings for the rims or flanges of the cartridge-shells, 'which are pressed against these-bearings and the cartridges held in'place by a door P, which, as shown, consists of a metallic plate connected by hinges 6 to the casing of the chest and having awood lining with an inner covering 7,- of felt, bearing against the ends of the cartridges, which are thus confined imm'ovably in place. i

It will be seen from the foregoing that the flanges of the openings in the "transverse plates constitute the entire support for the cartridges;

In order further to strengthen the structure; securing additional rigidity without an nndesirable increase in-weight,-I make use of hori- I zontal braces M N, consisting of transversely- 10o.

arranged in .a position immediately below the coinciding openings of the adjacent plates,

so as not only to secure a bracing efiect bu t also to serve as a guide tothe cartridge asit is introduced into place. These braces may be placed beneath each coinciding series of openings or they may be placed.at any suitable intervals apart.

Itis desirable inmany instances not only to provide for the support of the cartridges, but also for the support of cans or cases containing lubricating or other oil, and} therefore provide means for supporting series of sliding cans R, Fig.2, by'inserting in the casing of the chest two longitudinal partitions J'J, each parallel to but a short distance from one of the sidesot the chest, atfording intermediate room for the cans, which are supported to slide on guides 8, Fig. 3, the partitions L -L L in each' case being conveyed transversely between the longitudinal partitions J J. Each can is held in place by. a spring-catch 10, a pin or lip 12 of which engages a notch in the can when the latteris in place, the catch havingahead 13 by means of which it can be drawn out of the notch.- 'To prevent the cans from rattling,

springs 14 are bolted to the inside of'the front plate 0, so as to bear on the ends of the cans and prevent longitudinalmovement.

The door P does not cover the oil-cans, so

. that.access may be had thereto without open-.

ing the door. Any suitable means may be provided for holding the door *in place, a spring-latch U being shown. I

The chest,strengthened as above described, may be the means of supporting. a seat S and back-rest T, the seat being .placpd ,directly upon the chest between the strengtheningbeams H, while the back-rest T is supported by standards B B and bracesD D, the braces D also constituting sides for the seat.-'

Without limiting myself to the details of construction shown, I claimj I 1. An ammunition-chest provided with transverse end and intermediate partitions;

consisting of metallic plates having flanged openings to receive ballrcartridges, and with intermediate horizontal braces consisting of curved platesattached at the ends to the end and intermediate partitions, substantially as set forth.

plates having flan'ged'openingsto receive ballv cartridges, and with intermediate horizontal braces each with terminal flanges bolted to the partitions below the openings of the same,

substantially as described. I

3. An ammunitionrchest provided with transverse plates having coinciding flanged openings, the flanges of the forward plate being expansible and shaped to conformto the tapering contour of the portion of the pro-' jectiles inclosed thereby, substantially as de: I

scribed.

4. An ammunition chest provided with transverse plates having,coinciding'flanged openings, the flanges of the forward plate be ing: formed to fit the tapering projectiles of ball-cartridges, and the flanges of the rear plate extendingrearward to atford bearings for the rims of the cartridge-cases, said flanges constituting the entire support for the the case, combined with metallic standards and braces bolted to-the top and 'shpporting a back-rest, substantially as described. v

7. Anaminunition-chestconsistingofametallic case made of a single plate bent to form the top, bottom'and side portions, and having a closed front and a door at the rear, L- beams' inthe corners of, the case, exterior flanged'beams'on the top, bottom and sidesthereof, longitudinal partitions spaced from the sides of the chest, and transverse plates extending between the partitions and having coinciding flanged openings 'to receive ballcartridges, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my two subscribing witnesses.'

ROBERT P. s'roUT.

"Witnesses,- i

J. E. MATHEWS, .FRED Quinn.

[05 'name to this specificationin the presence or 

